Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, and 121 together.

A total of 32 staff currently serving out of the authorised core staffing complement of 193 in my Department have applied through the central applications facility to relocate under the decentralisation programme. The breakdown by grade is one principal officer, five assistant principals, three higher executive officers, seven administrative officers, six executive officers, one staff officer and nine clerical officers.

A total of 16 former members of staff have already been assigned to decentralised posts. It is a matter for those Departments to which staff from my Department have decentralised to assign such staff to locations outside of Dublin. The Deputy will be aware that there are no proposals to decentralise my Department or any of the bodies under its aegis and, accordingly, the information sought regarding cost of decentralisation does not apply.

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